The Sparrow and the Storm
by lilvirgie777
Summary: We know Captain Jack Sparrow's story, his adventures with Will and Elizabeth... Or do we? Enter the mysterious Ginny Stormmare, a girl from Jack's forgotten past. For once, it's a girl who doesn't want to slap him on sight. JackXOC I suck at summaries, but please read and review! COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**_Author's Note: Hello, my lovelies! I already posted this story before, but after rereading it, I wasn't happy with it. So, I decided to organize it to make it easier for you all to read, and for me to feel more satisfied with my work. For those of you who have not read this, it is Pirates of the Caribbean with the addition of my character, Ginny Stormmare. So yes, I had to split some lines up, change backstories a bit and add other things to the plot. This is also a series! For every movie there is, there will be a book to accommodate it with my character. This will gradually lead up to Jack/OC, but for a while, that doesn't happen. Also, because Elizabeth is the only main female, I have to split up her lines and participation with Ginny in order for my story to flow with the original plot as best as possible. However, because I love Elizabeth, and I know you do as well, I have added lines and stuff for her too. I'm not going to explain much about Ginny, because she is supposed to be a bit mysterious and can even seem bitter at points, but don't hate her. All I will say is that she has been dealt some extremely bad cards in life, and so she can come across hostile and cynical because of that. This will be parallel to the movies as closely as possible, but, it is fanfiction, and I have allowed my imagination to tweak things. If you don't like that, then haters gonna hate. Also, although it is in the fourth book (not this one), I will warn you: If you are a Sparrabeth or Sparralica (or whatever the heck they're called) shipper, please be aware that this is a Sparrastorm (see what I did there? Teehee) story, therefore Jack is not with anyone else. Sorry. If you don't care, keep reading. If you do, go find a different story. This is merely for entertainment, and a chance for me to share my imagination with you. Thanks!_**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean. I only own Ginny Stormmare and any other things I've made up _****_J_**

**_The Sparrow and the Storm_**

**_Chapter One_**

Ginny sat bolt upright, gasping for breath. A cold sweat clung to her skin in a clammy veil. Her heart hammered in her chest. Her breathing began to slow as she calmed herself, realizing it was just another one of her night terrors. She took a deep breath as her eyes adjusted to the darkness.

"You have one, too?" said a soft voice.

Ginny jumped, startled to hear her sister, Elizabeth. Ginny squinted to see Elizabeth standing across the room. "One what?"

"A nightmare," Elizabeth clarified. She was standing by the vanity. Ginny got out of bed and approached her sister.

"I did, but it was the usual. What was yours?" said Ginny.

Elizabeth looked at her hands guiltily. Ginny glanced down to see a dusty, golden medallion. "Remember the day we took this?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes," Ginny replied slowly.

"I had a dream about it last night. And the ship we saw." Elizabeth said.

Ginny sighed. "That was a long time ago."

"Not very long ago." argued Elizabeth.

"Eight years," Ginny muttered. "I was seventeen then. I'm old enough to remember more than you, and it seems like a long time ago."

A knock sounded on the door. "Ginny? Elizabeth?" said their father from the outside.

Elizabeth looked petrified. Ginny grabbed the medallion out of her hands and quickly put it on. Elizabeth grabbed their robes. Ginny slipped hers on while Elizabeth called "Yes!"

Governor Weatherby Swann entered the room. "Still in bed at this hour, girls? It's a beautiful day," Ginny closed her eyes as the curtains were flung open, flooding the room with sunlight. The smell of the salty sea infiltrated the room, and dinging bells aboard ships in the distance could be heard. Ginny smiled at the sensation. Nothing was more amazing than being on the sea. "I have a gift for the both of you." said Weatherby with a mischievous smile. Two maids entered the room, carrying large rectangular boxes. Weatherby indicated to Elizabeth and Ginny's respective boxes. Ginny lifted the lid to see a beautiful pale blue and silver dress. She pulled the heavy thing out of the box to get a better look. It had a sweetheart neckline, with blue lace embroidering the sides. The sleeves were quarter-length, with lace around the edges. The actual dress was light blue, with silver intricate designs curling and chasing each other all over the dress. She stared at her father.

"What's the occasion?" she questioned.

Weatherby chuckled. "Do I need a reason to present a gift to my daughters?"

"No," Ginny allowed. "But I'm not your daughter."

Weatherby frowned. "Not by blood," he reasoned. "But you will always be my daughter," Ginny grinned at him and then walked behind the changing screen to join Elizabeth. "Actually, I was hoping that you'd wear the gowns for the ceremony today."

"Ceremony?" Elizabeth called.

"James Norrington's promotion," clarified Weatherby.

"I knew it." Ginny said, leaning over to look at her father. Weatherby grinned.

Commodore Norrington, as he's to be called." he said. Ginny pulled back behind the screen. Elizabeth gasped. "Girls? Are you all right?" Weatherby called.

"It's difficult to say," Elizabeth said.

Ginny clenched her teeth as the corset was tightened. "I'm told it's the latest fashion in London."

"Well, women in London must've learned not to breathe!" Ginny snapped. Weatherby excused himself at the arrival of a guest.

"I hear James fancies you." said Elizabeth.

"I hear that, too." Ginny replied.

"Do you fancy him?" Elizabeth asked.

"In my own way," Ginny replied. She thought a little more. "But I honestly don't want to marry anyone at the moment."

"Well, James wants to propose." Elizabeth whispered.

Ginny sighed. "I know… I suppose I'll say yes, but I hardly know him. He's not even a close friend, let alone a candidate to marry me. But I don't think I'll turn him down, either. I just don't want to get married."

Elizabeth laughed. "So you don't know what you want." she clarified.

"Yeah, I suppose." Ginny muttered.

Ginny fluttered her fan back and forth obnoxiously fast. Several people began to stare at her, but she could care less. She could hardly breathe; the corset was too tight. She noticed Elizabeth was having difficulty breathing, too. The ceremony dragged by at an agonizingly slow pace. When it finally ended, Ginny took off to find a glass of water. Elizabeth followed her. The girls slurped down the water as if they hadn't had anything to drink in days. Ginny wheezed a laugh at their rudeness.

"Father is going to kill us!" Elizabeth said, glancing at the people staring. Ginny shrugged.

"We can't breathe. If we're being rude due to our discomfort, we apologize sincerely." Ginny said, snapping at the nearest group of observers. The uppity group of men and women muttered to themselves and looked away.

Elizabeth giggled. "Ginny, you'll get in trouble." she scolded.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I really don't care. Honestly, these people are staring at us like we're animals. I get so tired of this." Ginny cut off at Elizabeth's frightened stare. Ginny looked over her shoulder, only to find the new commodore James Norrington standing behind her. He looked stern, but his eyes betrayed his amusement.

"Ginny, may I have a moment?" he said. Ginny glanced back at Elizabeth and handed her glass to Elizabeth.

"Certainly," Ginny said breathlessly. James led Ginny to the edge of Fort Charles, where the cliff overlooked the sea. This was Ginny's favorite part of Port Royal. Technically she wasn't allowed here, but there was a small cave in the face of the cliff, underneath and to the side of Fort Charles, where Ginny would climb and sit, watching the ocean glitter in the sunlight. It was the most beautiful place in the world.

"You look lovely, Ginny," James said politely, looking out at the sea. He sounded nervous. Ginny smiled in thanks, but found that she couldn't talk. Standing in the sun without her fan and glass of water was excruciating. She couldn't breathe almost at all here. "There was a time, when I thought that after I'd accomplished all that I wanted to do, I would partake in the most honorable thing act of all: a marriage to a fine woman," James looked at Ginny seriously. Ginny returned his gaze. "You have become a fine woman, Ginny. And it would be an honor." James said.

Ginny opened her mouth in vain. She stammered a bit. She couldn't say yes, she needed to get out of this damn corset! "I-I can't breathe." Ginny said warningly, trying to get James's attention. He turned away.

"Yes, I'm a bit nervous myself." James said, turning away. Ginny was about to say something else, but then her vision faded into darkness, and she felt herself falling, and then she wasn't aware of anything at all.

…..

Jack Sparrow was desperately trying to get these buffoons to forget that he ever disobeyed the law of not touching the pretty ship. He was pretty sure he'd accomplished that by telling stories of his past. They were hanging on to every word. Jack was just telling them about his adventures on the Pelegostos Island of cannibals when they heard a splash. Jack jumped up and saw, sinking beneath the surface, a woman. He looked at his newest companions. "Will you be saving her?" he asked the one on his right.

"I can't swim!" replied the goon. Jack rolled his eyes and looked at the other, who merely shook his head frantically.

"Pride of the King's Navy, you are!" Jack said sarcastically, stripping of his heavy weapons and outer clothing. "Do not move!" Jack warned. With that, he leapt off the side of the ship and dove into the water. _Bugger those ridiculous goons. Can't swim? What the bloody hell are you doing in the Navy? And what the bloody hell am I doing saving this spoiled brat? _Jack thought bitterly. _Oh yeah. Apparently I have a soft spot for people, _he thought with a pang of sourness. He reached the bottom of the bay, where the unconscious woman lay. She was quite beautiful. It was an eerie sight, seeing her lovely face peacefully relaxed, her hair spreading out in the water and her arms floating up. Jack encircled his arms around her waist and kicked off from the ocean floor, soaring up to the surface. They broke the surface of the water, where Jack gasped for breath. The weight of the woman's dress dragged them both under again. Jack ripped the dress off of her, and swam with her to the nearest pier. The two goons took the woman from Jack and laid her gently on the planks of the pier.

"Not breathing!" announced the chubby one.

"Move!" Jack ordered. He knelt down and cut the strangling corset off the woman. Immediately, she coughed and spluttered to life, spitting out seawater. Jack handed the corset to the other goon.

"Never would've thought of that," said the chubby goon.

"Clearly you've never been to Singapore," Jack snapped. A shimmering light caught his attention. His stomach dropped as laid eyes on the curious objects around the woman's neck. There was a medallion, the Aztec gold that his nemesis sought, and a blue sapphire pendant, one that rang a dim bell, but Jack couldn't remember from where. Jack reached out and lifted both necklaces to examine them closer. "Where did you get that?" He wasn't sure to which necklace he was referring to. Possibly both. The woman merely stared at him in fright and awe. Jack met her gaze, and recognition flashed through her eyes. Jack stared at her, confused. The scrape of sword against sheath sounded, and Jack felt the cool metal of the blade of someone's sword tap his chin. He lifted his eyes to see a man who looked somewhat familiar.

"On your feet," ordered the man. His tone was severe and protective. Jack obeyed cautiously.

"Ginny!" said another man, elderly and richly dressed. He helped the woman to her feet and wrapped her shivering body in his coat. The woman, Ginny, watched Jack intently. Jack frowned and looked back to the other man, who was demanding information. Jack's two goon friends were betraying him something fierce at the moment, even handing over Jack's effects. The man, whom Jack figured to be Commodore Norrington after listening to the others talk, proceeded to insult Jack's effects. Norrington slid part of Jack's sword out of its sheath. He smirked at Jack.

"And I half-expected it to be made out of wood," he said. Jack offered Norrington a tight smile. "You are without doubt the worst pirate I've ever heard of."

"But you have heard of me." Jack replied cheekily.

"Take him to the brig, he'll hang in the morning." said Norrington as Jack was led away to be clapped in irons. Jack grimaced inwardly. _Bloody spoiled brats and their ungratefulness! This is what I get for being kind-hearted,_ he thought bitterly.

"Commodore Norrington, I really must protest!" said a woman's voice. Jack glanced up, surprised. _Bloody hell, she's defending me!_ Jack watched, slightly amazed, slightly bewildered, as the woman took her place in between him and Norrington. "Pirate or not, this man saved my life."

"One good deed is not enough to redeem a lifetime of wickedness." retorted Norrington in annoyance.

"Though it seems enough to condemn him." Jack pitched in.

"Indeed." snapped Norrington.

The irons clasped shut. "Finally," Jack muttered. He swung his shackled wrists over Ginny's neck and pulled her to, though he didn't tighten the chain enough to hurt her or really restrain her. "Commodore my effects please, and my hat!" Jack ordered. The men standing around did nothing. Reluctantly, Jack pulled the chain tighter. "Commodore!" Jack urged. _C'mon, you git, I don't want to hurt her._ Norrington motioned to a man holding Jack's effects. The man handed them to Ginny. Jack quickly grabbed the pistol and pulled the hammer back, putting the barrel against the side of Ginny's head. He leaned in to her ear. "Miss Ginny… It is Ginny, right?" Jack hissed.

"It's Miss Swann!" Ginny snapped back fiercely.

"Miss Swann if you'd be so kind," Jack encouraged. He swung Ginny around. She wrapped her arms around him as she put on his shoulder strap. Jack smirked at Norrington over her shoulder. Norrington looked away pointedly. "Easy on the goods, darling." Jack warned Ginny with a devilish grin.

"You're despicable," Ginny seethed, tightening the belt around his waist uncomfortably tight. Jack smirked.

"Sticks and stones, love," he said as Ginny put his hat on his head. "I saved your life, you saved mine, we're square." He wheeled Ginny back around. "Gentlemen! M'lady, you will remember this day as the day that you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow!" Jack released Ginny and shoved her forward, and then turned to make his escape.

….

Ginny entered her room, flustered. She paced back and forth, wringing her hands. Water dripped from her soaking clothes, and her skin raised with chills, but she didn't care. How could he be here? What was he doing here? Why did he try to kill her? And why did he seem not to recognize her? Ginny felt tears burn her eyes. She stopped pacing and put her face in her hands. She breathed deeply, sobbed for a bit, and then stiffened. She looked up from her hands to see herself in the mirror. She approached it. Her golden blonde hair hung around her head in damp strings, her sun kissed skin was glazed with water and her deep blue-green eyes were red. She reached upward and unclasped the golden medallion. She stuffed it back into the drawer where it had been hidden for eight years. She traced the blue sapphire pendant that had once belonged to her mother with her fingers. "You were wrong." she said to the mirror. She looked away. She hadn't meant to say it aloud. But she wanted her mother to hear words that couldn't be heard, not beyond the grave.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter Two_**

_The smell of smoke choked him, and the fumes stung his eyes. He stepped around charred planks of wood, which were once part of the barn. He looked at the remains, a gaping space of ashes. Bits of ash floated around like black snow. He looked around, shocked by the gruesome scene. He looked around frantically, tears in his eyes. "Gin? Ev? Aggie? Bray? Letta? Danny? Emy? Ritzy? Anybody?" he called. Silence pounded on his eardrums. He continued dragging his feet until he kicked something lumpish. He looked down and felt sick. A human being, or what was left of a human being, laid there, charred and burned from the fire that had destroyed the barn. He dropped to his knees in sorrow. He sobbed violently, unable to hold back his despair. He suddenly felt sick, and turned away from the body. _

Jack jerked awake, covered in a cold sweat. He looked around, seeing the jail walls. His shoulders slumped. He weakly got up and looked out the window. Sunset was painting the sky with brilliant splashes of oranges and purples and pinks. Jack turned away and staggered over to the wall. He sat with his back against it and adjusted his hat over his eyes. _Damn those bloody dreams! Tia said they'd go away…_ Exhaustion overwhelmed him once more, but he fought the urge to fall asleep. He didn't want to succumb to one of those nightmares again. They were too familiar and too mysterious at the same time.

….

Ginny stared at the glowing moon, unable to tear her eyes away. She could hear booming noises. She got up and ran to the window, and out onto her balcony. A mob carrying torches stormed toward the mansion. Ginny widened her eyes and rushed back into the bedroom. "Elizabeth! Wake up!" she cried. Elizabeth roused, looking confused.

"What is it?" she mumbled.

"I-I don't know," Ginny said honestly. "But it isn't good, now come on!" Ginny helped Elizabeth out of bed and dashed out of the room. Ginny ran into the empty sun room next to her bedroom, where she stomped on the floor until she reached a hollow spot. She crouched down to and lifted the floorboard and peered inside. There was her box, safely gathering dust. She looked next to it and saw her rusty cutlass, also covered in a thin coat of dust. A scream sounded, followed by the sound of a gunshot. Ginny flinched and turned back to the cutlass. She lifted her cutlass out of the floor and turned to see that Elizabeth hadn't followed her. Ginny cursed and rushed out of the room. Chaos reigned throughout the house. The mobsters charged around, stealing valuables and killing innocents. She ran right into one of the men who'd invaded the mansion. He cackled at her and unsheathed his sword. He brought it down to cleave her head. Ginny parried his attack, twisting her blade around his to gain the upper hand. She forced him closer to her, and then punched him. He fell backwards over the railing and onto the first landing of the house. Ginny noticed one of the maids. She grabbed her.

"Where's Elizabeth?" Ginny demanded.

"I saw her run out of the house!" the maid cried. Ginny nodded.

"C'mon!" she urged. The two women fled the house. They ran toward the fort, but Ginny paused. She needed to find Will. She turned on her heel and sprinted toward the town, the maid screaming for her to come back. Ginny ignored her. She reached the town, only to find more chaos. People shoved her, trying to escape and get to the fort. Ginny looked around wildly for Will.

"Ginny!" cried a familiar voice. Ginny looked over her shoulder to see Will. She grinned in relief and stood by him. "Where's Elizabeth?" Will demanded.

"I heard she ran out of the house, I don't know if she came here or went to the fort." Ginny yelled back.

"I haven't seen her." Will said worriedly. Ginny felt her stomach drop.

"Look out!" she cried. Will ducked as Ginny swung her sword over his head, slashing an attacker's throat. The man dropped to the ground. Ginny backed up as Will straightened. His eyes widened in horror. Ginny turned to see Elizabeth, escorted roughly by two of the pirate invaders. Ginny turned back to Will, only to see him falling, unconscious onto the ground. "Are you kidding me?" Ginny screamed. She turned and ran toward Elizabeth, desperately trying to reach her in time. Her path was blocked by a pirate. The pirate whose throat she'd slashed. He grinned at her and swung his sword at her. Ginny ducked. Their blades clashed together, and Ginny fought her hardest. She blocked when he slashed. He heaved and she parried. She cleaved and he blocked. Ginny stepped in closer, knowing she was running out of time. The man was taken aback, and Ginny used his split second delay to knock him unconscious. He dropped to the ground. Ginny started forward, but this time, James blocked her path.

"What the hell are you doing, Ginny?" growled James. He grabbed her as Ginny tried to sidestep him. She kicked and screamed, desperately trying to get to Elizabeth.

"They have her! They have her!" Ginny shrieked. James dragged Ginny back, her strength suddenly gone. Ginny sobbed, wracked with guilt. "They have her! They have her!" Ginny cried again. She continued to weep, dropping to her knees as the chaos dissipated. "They have her. They have her…" Ginny sobbed. James scooped her up in his arms and carried her away from the fray. Ginny looked into his eyes, tired from her tears and screaming. "They took her."

"I know." James murmured.

"It's my fault." Ginny whispered.

"You can't blame yourself." James retorted gently. He laid her down on something soft.

"I left her behind." Ginny said softly.

"You did everything you could." James replied. He kissed Ginny's forehead and was gone.

"It's my fault." Ginny repeated numbly. She closed her eyes, and soon she was overcome with exhaustion.

…..

Ginny dressed in simple attire and strode out of the house she'd spent the night in. She wasn't sure whose it was, and the owners weren't there. She trekked into the town to find Will. She sighed and knelt beside him, shaking him awake. "We have to get James to search for Elizabeth." Ginny snapped.

Will got up, his eyes looking unfocused. "Good morning to you, too." he grumbled. Ginny rolled her eyes at him and led him to where James and Governor Swann poured over a map with several other men. Ginny listened in to the conversation outside, as she wasn't allowed to be in the room. Will lost his temper and was kicked out of the room. Ginny raised her eyebrows at him.

"That went well." she said sarcastically.

Will grabbed her arm. "C'mon," he snapped. He led her to the fort. No one questioned them as they entered the jail. Ginny grimaced when she saw Jack. "You. Sparrow." Will snapped at Jack. Jack glanced at them, looking bored. He said nothing. "You know of the _Black Pearl_." Will said.

"I heard of it." said Jack, his bland tone concerning Ginny.

"Do you know where she makes berth?" questioned Will.

Jack sat up, suddenly interested. "Where does she make berth?" he demanded, sounding outraged. He seemed to catch himself. He calmed and laid back down, examining his fingernails. "_Captain _Barbossa and his crew of motley pirates sail to an island where only he knows… Except for, in fact, me." Jack said, sarcasm heavy in his tone.

"Can you lead me there?" said Will.

Jack looked at Will. "Looking to go pirate, mate?"

Will slammed against the bars. "Never," he seethed.

"Then why should I help you?" Jack demanded.

Will relaxed. "They took Miss Swann." he admitted. Jack sat up straighter.

"Oh so it is the damsel!" he said.

"I can get you out of here." Will replied.

"How's that, the keys ran off." Jack answered.

"I helped build these cells. They're half barrel hinges," Will said, grabbing a bench and positioning it against the cell door like a crowbar. "With the proper leverage, and the applied strength, the door will lift free."

He looked thoughtful. "What's your name, boy?"

"Will Turner," Will replied, looking confused.

"That would be short for William, I'd imagine. No doubt the name for your father, eh?" Jack interrogated cleverly.

"Yes," Will said, mystified.

Jack looked thoughtful as he gnawed on the inside of his cheek. "Uhuh," he muttered. He stood up. "Well, tell you what, William: you spring me from this cell, I will take you to the _Black Pearl _and your bonnie lass. Do we have an accord?" Jack held out his hand through the bars.

"Deal." Will said, taking Jack's hand.

"Now, get me out!" Jack said gleefully. Will pushed on the bench, and with a loud crash, the door came off the cell. Jack stepped out of the cell. To Ginny's surprise, he didn't run away.

"Hurry, someone would've heard that." Will urged.

"Not without me effects!" Jack argued, grabbing his belongings. They turned to leave, only to find Ginny blocking their path.

"So, what's the plan?" she demanded, crossing her arms.

"Ginny, you're not coming." Will said gently.

"The hell I'm not! I helped you get in here!" Ginny retorted.

"Ginny, we walked right in. And it's too dangerous." Will argued.

"Oh please, as if I've never been in danger before!" Ginny spat.

"Ginny, please, this is different." Will said exasperatedly.

"I'm going." Ginny said firmly.

"No, you're not. This is no adventure for a woman." Will argued.

"Fine. I'll just go tell James what you're doing." Ginny said. She turned on her heel to do just that.

"She's bluffing." she heard Jack murmur.

"Oh no, she'll really do it," Will whispered back. "Ginny, get back here!" Ginny smiled smugly to herself and turned.

"Glad to see you came to your senses. Now, what's the plan?" Ginny said, smirking.

…

"Avast? Really?" Ginny teased, looking at Will with a grin. The commandeering of the _Interceptor_ had been easier than Ginny had thought it would be.

"Honestly, William, you insulted every last pirate from here to China." Jack pitched in from the wheel.

Will huffed, not looking at either of them. "I've had my fair share of the seas. After my mother died, I went looking for my father, and ended up here."

"Is that so?" Jack sounded bored, but Ginny caught the look of weariness in his eyes. She knew that look all too well: he was hiding something. Ginny looked away before he could catch her staring. Did he know her? Or was his indifference toward her genuine? Could he really not remember?

"You knew my father." Will accused. Ginny glanced up at the two men. Will was facing Jack, who had his back to Will as he steered the ship. Jack looked somewhat annoyed, somewhat impressed and somewhat defeated. He seemed to be thinking of something witty to say.

"Aye, I knew him." Jack admitted after a while. He began to fiddle with some ropes. "Good man. Good pirate," Jack went on. He looked at Will. "I swear, you look just like him."

Will unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Jack. Ginny got up immediately, making her way over to them. "My father was _not_ a pirate!"

"Put it away, son. Don't want to risk you be being beat again." Jack said calmly. Ginny stood in between the sword and Jack.

"Will!" Ginny hissed, glaring at her friend. Will ignored her and pushed her aside.

"You only won because you ignored the rules of a fair fight! My father was a good man, a merchant sailor!" Will snarled. Jack looked at him, anger burning in his eyes.

"Your father was a filthy pirate and a bloody scallywag!" he argued. He glanced at Ginny. He grabbed her gently and pulled her close to him, spinning the wheel suddenly. One of the sails swung around, knocking Will off his feet. Jack let go of Ginny and picked up the sword Will dropped and pointed it at Will. "Now as long as you're just hanging there, pay attention. There are only two main rules of life: What a man can do, and what a man can't do. For instance, I can let you drown. But I can't sail this ship into Tortuga all on me onesies with the lady. You can accept the fact that your father was a pirate and a good man," Jack grabbed the wheel and spun it the other way, slamming Will back on deck. Jack loomed over him, Will's own sword trained on his face. "Can you sail under the command of a pirate?" Jack asked. He flipped the sword so that the handle was in Will's face instead of the point. "Or can you not?"

Will slowly accepted the sword. "Tortuga?" he queried.

"Tortuga," Jack confirmed. Will got up and trekked below deck. Jack rolled his eyes at the whelp and squinted at Ginny. Ginny tried to ignore him looking at her. "So how does an upstanding lady such as yerself come across a pirate medallion anyway?" Jack asked finally.

Ginny stared at him coldly, then she checked to make sure Will was still gone. She sighed heavily and faced Jack. _Honesty is the best policy_, she thought grimly. "When Elizabeth and I found Will, he had it on. We took it off to keep him safe from the gallows, because we figured he was a pirate. The morning you came to Port Royal, Elizabeth had gotten it out, God only knows why. I took it from her before she could get caught. I didn't want her to get into trouble. But after I put it away before bed, she must've gotten it out and that's why they took her and not me." she explained. She looked away, at the sparkling sea. She glanced at Jack to see his lips turned down into a frown.

"The lad doesn't know?" he asked quietly.

Ginny shook her head. "And I'd like to keep it that way, for now." she warned.

"Love, he's bound to find out sooner or later." Jack argued.

"Then it'll have to be later." Ginny snapped. She turned back toward the sea, her fingers absentmindedly tracing her sapphire pendant. She caught Jack's look of amusement out of the corner of her eye. She glowered.

"You have me word that I shan't say a thing to the boy," Jack promised roguishly. "Now, how about that pendant? Another family heirloom stolen from some helpless child? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a pirate."

Ginny lowered her eyes. "Not stolen," she muttered. "Given," she added. She looked at Jack, his face furrowed with befuddlement. "It was my mother's." Ginny clarified.

"Was?" Jack asked innocently.

"She's dead." Ginny replied shortly.

Jack frowned, looking as if he'd just called a fat lady pregnant. "Oh," he said. He seemed sincerely astounded. But there was no grief in his expression or tone. "I'm sorry to hear that, love." He seemed honest enough. _He must not remember me somehow… The Jack I knew would've been devastated,_ Ginny thought.

She shrugged bitterly. "That's life." _Death is life. How ironic._

Jack tilted his head. He looked thoughtful, and even a little fearful. "I suppose so." he said. Ginny pursed her lips grimly and walked away. Talking about her mother was still too sore a subject. And Jack was a stranger. He wasn't supposed to be, but he was.

…

_The ashes furled up into the cold air. He walked along, away from the burned bodies. He prayed that one of them wasn't Gin, his precious Gin. He approached the house. He must've missed the massacre by mere hours. If only he'd been there sooner… He walked up the stairs. The reek of death stung his nose. His eyes watered, but he continued. At last he reached the third floor, where only one room resided. The door was already ajar. He pushed it open. He sank to his knees, unable to hold himself. His hands touched drying blood. Blood splattered the walls and pooled around the body on the floor. He crawled toward the body. _

_"__Ev?" he whispered, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Ev!" He cradled the woman in his arms, but she was cold and lifeless. Multiple stab wounds marred her body. Blood soaked her once pretty blue dress. He rocked back and forth with her in his arms, sobbing. "Ev, no…" he wept. "Gin… Where are you?" _

Jack's eyes fluttered open. He sat up, panting. He rubbed his face. "Damn." he muttered. He got out of bed and exited the cabin. To his surprise, Ginny was manning the ship. She looked completely at ease. He approached her. "I'll take her from here, love." Jack said.

Ginny allowed him to take over. "You look like hell." she said.

Jack huffed. "I feel like it, too."

"Bad dream?" Ginny guessed.

Jack looked at her. "How'd you guess?"

Ginny paused and met his gaze steadily. "I have them, too." Her voice was quiet. Jack stared at her for a long time.

"Did I make noise or something?" he said.

"No," Ginny said. She looked like she was telling the truth. "I look like hell in the morning after, too."

She walked away. Jack watched her go. _What are your nightmares about?_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note: Hey guys! This chapter is a bit shorter, and it also contains some more disturbing themes... Keep that in mind! Thanks to all who read, review, follow and favorite! **_

_**I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean, only Ginny and the bits of plot that concern her. **_

**_Chapter Three_**

Jack's cheeks stung from Scarlett and Giselle's slaps. He took a swig of rum and met Gibb's gaze. "I'm going after the _Pearl_."

Gibbs choked on his rum and burst into a coughing fit. Jack waited, somewhat exasperatedly, for it to subside. "Jack… It's a fool's errand." Gibbs said, shaking his head.

….

Ginny rolled her eyes and left the tavern. She wanted to explore. She walked out onto the rum-soaked muddy streets of Tortuga. The stench of vomit, alcohol and the perfume of doxies hung in the air like a thick cloud. But permeating through the air was just a hint of the salty aroma of the sea, and that made the pong of Tortuga worth it. Ginny strode along, heading toward the docks. She wanted to be near the ocean. There was nothing more paradoxical than the sea. It was so peaceful, so full of wonder and beauty, and yet it was so mysterious and ominous. It was an abyss of things lost; it was the grave for many, but the home for more. It was the gateway to adventure, and the wall trapping some in. Ginny walked toward it, not paying attention to anyone else. She suddenly realized that all she could hear were waves crashing upon the shore. She faltered in her brisk walk. She had left the brawls and the music, the shattering of bottles and the hoots of people. She looked around. It was eerily quiet. She turned back toward the sea. Once she was upon the _Interceptor_, she would be safe. She took a step forward, but then they were upon her.

Someone grabbed her from behind, covering her mouth with his large and calloused hand. She tried to scream, but the sound was muffled. She struggled against him, kicking out. Someone else caught her feet. Ginny kicked with all her might. She scrunched up and stretched out, trying to make it as difficult as possible for her attackers to get a good grip on her. She bit down on the hand covering her mouth. She bit until she tasted blood. The man holding her let go of her and she crashed to the ground. She kicked the other in the face. "Jack! Will!" she screamed, struggling to her feet. She was grabbed again by another attacker.

"Matt, she's fightin'!" yelled the man.

"Will!" Ginny screamed. The man covered her mouth. "Jack!" she shrieked through his fingers. The man picked her up, and she kicked and pushed away. One of the men grabbed her feet. Ginny let out a bloodcurdling scream, praying that somebody heard her.

…..

Jack bumped Gibbs's fist with his own and approached Will. "Where's Ginny?" he asked the whelp.

Will frowned. "She said she was going for a walk."

Jack resisted the urge to swear. "Go back to the ship." he ordered. He walked briskly out of the tavern. He approached Giselle. "Did you see a woman with blonde hair walk out of here? She's wearing a lavender gown."

Giselle gave him a disgusted look. "Your newest whore? Yeah, I saw her. Walked that way." She pointed toward the docks. Jack turned in that direction without bothering to correct Giselle. He strode toward the docks. He was nearing the hill that reached the beach when he heard the fight. He looked around. It was coming from the house to his right. _Maybe she returned to the ship, _he thought. He stopped himself. _Just check._ With a sigh, he entered the house. There were two men brawling each other on the floor. He rolled his eyes, relieved. Ginny had returned to the ship. He left the house and started toward the _Interceptor_.

The sound of hair-raising scream stopped him cold. He turned toward the woods, where the outline of a house could be made. He sprinted toward it without hesitation.

….

Five men loomed over Ginny, while another held her down. He laughed as he planted a sloppy kiss on her mouth. Ginny spat in his face when he pulled away. For a split second, he looked bewildered. Then rage clouded his expression and he struck Ginny across the face. She tasted blood as she was dragged to the other side of the room, where she was bound and gagged. "Matt said to do what we like with her, and then she's his!" said one of the men. Ginny glared up the first contestant.

"Like hell!" roared another voice. Ginny looked to see a familiar silhouette, but it was too dark to make out any faces. Her unexpected savior had a sword drawn, and was dueling the six men in the room all at once. He used his fist here and there and threw one of the men out of the window. He didn't stop until every last attacker was unconscious or fleeing. The savior panted heavily for a moment, then sheathed his sword. He knelt beside Ginny. "Are you hurt?" he asked, untying her. Ginny sat up and took the gag out of her mouth.

"No, I'm all right." she said shakily. The man helped her up. She got a good look at his face in the dim lighting. "Jack!" she gasped. Jack examined her closely.

"You're bleeding, love." he said.

"I'm fine." Ginny said, awestruck that Jack was here. Jack led her out of the house. They walked in silence for a long time.

…

Jack glanced at Ginny, concerned. She hadn't spoken for a long time, and she'd stopped walking. "You all right, love?"

Ginny nodded. "I'm fine." she said.

Jack took her by the arm gently, and continued their walk briskly. "I can't believe those drunken bastards." he growled.

"Why? Wouldn't you do the same?" Ginny replied icily. Jack stopped in his tracks and glared at Ginny.

"No, I wouldn't. Do you think I'd save you just now if I approved? Why would you say that?" he said acidly.

Ginny shrugged. "I've heard stories about you. You've got a girl in every port. It just seems like you wouldn't care."

Jack clenched his teeth. "There's no excuse for taking advantage of women."

Ginny stared at him, looking stunned. "Thank you."

Jack looked at her sharply. "For what?" he snapped.

"Saving me," Ginny said. "Again."

Jack continued to stare at her angrily for a moment. Then he softened. "I've never been thanked before." he admitted.

"I've never been rescued before." Ginny replied.

Jack stared at her, dumbfounded. "You've been in situations like that before?"

"Sort of," Ginny admitted, though she didn't elaborate. "I suppose I owe you an apology."

Jack gazed at her. "Why is that, love?"

"I assumed you wouldn't care. My experience with men has been all too similar to what just happened. I've kind of lost hope in good men, especially in pirates. I took that out on you, and I apologize." Ginny confessed.

Jack stared at her, amazed. "I-I… Apology accepted," he stammered. "C'mon let's get you in something more appropriate."

"They weren't drunk," Ginny said, walking with Jack to a tailoring shop. Jack stopped by the door. He met Ginny's gaze. "The men who attacked me weren't drunk."

Jack frowned. "That makes it much worse." he muttered.

"They wanted something from me." Ginny said, looking confused.

"What?" Jack prompted.

"My mother's necklace." Ginny said.

"That doesn't make any sense." Jack said, frowning.

"I know." Ginny replied. She opened the door to the shop. Jack watched her pick out a white linen shirt, a long green skirt, a leather brown belt and a pair of brown boots. She paid with the last bit of pocket money she had. Jack led her aboard the_ Interceptor_, where he found her a lightweight sword to tuck into her belt.

"Hopefully you won't have to use it." he said as he handed her the sword.

To his surprise, Ginny took it confidently. She observed it closely before sheathing it. "If I have to, I'll be ready."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry it's been so long... I had my high school graduation! So I've been writing thank you notes and doing so many chores... Just been too busy for the story. But, I've got chapters 4 and 5 ready, and 6 is in the works! Now that it's summer I can probably upload more. My goal is once a week. **_

_**Review Replies: dragonqueen909: Thank you so much! I hope you like it and continue reading and enjoying! **_

_**Chapter Four**_

_He scooped up her body and carried her out of the room, where her blood painted the walls. He carried her way out into the field where he laid her down. He went back to the remains of the barn, and carried the other bodies to where Evelyn lay. He returned to the barn's gravesite once more. He kicked aside ashes and dirt and bits of wood. He coughed at the stench, and then remembered the basement. He hurried into the house, where the stench of death still lingered. He opened a door that led to the basement. He fumbled in the dark until he found what he was looking for. He exited the house with the shovel. He walked out to where the bodies lay, and began to dig. He dug until the sun sank beneath the horizon. At last, three graves were ready. He laid Evelyn gently into the one on the far right. He held his breath as he turned to the burned bodies. A glint of gold caught his eye. He crouched beside the bodies. The two people had rings on their left hands; they had once been a married couple. He suppressed a sob. It had to have been Evelyn's sister, Hannah. Hannah's husband was the other one. He racked his brains to remember his name. Auntie Hannah and Uncle… Roger. Hannah and Roger Morrison, an innocent couple who didn't even live on the farm, were dead. He dropped to his knees once more. Was it his fault? Had they come to console Gin due to his family leaving? If he had been a few hours sooner, could he have saved them. He turned away from the bodies and vomited, retching and hacking. A wet droplet landed on his hand. He looked up at the sky. It began to rain. This was no ordinary rain. This was blood. _

_"__Jack!" called a voice from the crimson skies. _

_Jack gagged on the blood. "No…" he sobbed. Thunder crackled and shook him, knocking him over into the blood-drenched dirt. _

_"__Jack!" _

"No."

"Jack, wake up!" Ginny's voice cried. Jack opened his eyes. Ginny was drenched to the bone in water. He sat up, hearing thunder and seeing flashes of lightning. He looked at Ginny, feeling slightly confused.

"What?" he demanded.

"It's a storm, we need your help!" Ginny shouted over the roar of the storm. Jack got up immediately. He strode toward the helm. He whipped out his compass and watched the needle spin until it settled on the destination. Jack grabbed the wheel. He steered away from rocks. Jack stared ahead, knowing they were close.

…

Jack had a wild look in his eyes. Ginny pulled on the rope with Will and Gibbs. "How are we to find this place with a compass that doesn't point north?" demanded Will angrily.

"Aye, the compass doesn't point north, but we're not trying to find north, are we?" said Gibbs. Ginny smiled. She looked toward Jack once more. He looked fiercely determined and… Brave. Ginny, despite her doubts and anger, was impressed. Jack had never looked more like a captain than he did in that moment.

"Ginny, look out!" cried Will. Ginny looked to see an enormous wave washing over the side of the ship. Ginny only had a split second to respond. She turned away from the water and closed her eyes, protecting them from the saltiness.

_"__What do you want to be when you grow up?" she asked. _

_Jack shrugged. "I dunno." _

_She looked up at the sky, watching the fluffy white clouds drift by in a sea of baby blue sky. "Are your parents pirates?" _

_Jack sat up straight. "Don't say that!" _

_She giggled. "I heard Mommy and Daddy talking to them last night." _

_Jack looked away pointedly. "What did they say?" _

_"__They said they wouldn't harm us. They only want a safe place to stay. Your mum said those days are over." she replied, matching Jack's serious tone. _

_Jack looked at her. "I used to want to be like him," he said. "My dad was the greatest captain. But pirates hurt people… And I… I don't want to be like that."_

_She sat up and looked at him. "I know you wouldn't ever hurt anybody." _

_Jack screwed his face up. "Yeah?" he taunted. _

_"__Yeah." she replied with a grin. _

_"__Why's that?" Jack asked. _

_She smiled. "You're too good." _

"Ginny! Oh God, is she all right?" Will's reverberated through Ginny's head. She felt the warmth of the sun washing over her in a flood of gentle light. She stirred and blinked open her eyes, squinting at the sudden harsh brightness. "Thank God!" breathed Will, sounding relieved.

A shadow fell over Ginny. She focused on the form to see Jack leaning over her, looking concerned. "You all right, love?"

Ginny nodded. "What happened?" she said. She tried to sit up, but her head started to rush and her eyes swam with blurriness.

"Whoa there, Miss Swann. You had a bad knock in the head last night." said Gibbs.

Ginny found the source of the persistent throbbing with her hand. She winced at the knot on the back of her head. "That wave nearly took you overboard. Will had to grab you before you drowned right on the deck." said Jack.

Ginny glanced at Will, shame-facedly. "Thanks," she said. She got to her feet a little too quickly, but she brushed off everyone's looks of concern. "I'm fine. Are we there yet?"

"Aye," said Jack, getting out of his kneeling position. "The whelp and I will go ashore." he said.

"I'm going as well." Ginny said.

"No, you're not." said Will.

"Will, we are not having this argument again." Ginny snapped.

"Love, perhaps the lad is right this time." said Jack. His look of genuine concern and firmness stalled Ginny for a heartbeat.

Then anger swept over her. "No one orders me around like some pathetic housewife! I'm going ashore; it is my decision and mine alone." Ginny stared at the two men defiantly. They glanced at each other.

"Don't make me regret this." Will muttered to her. He stalked away. Jack stared at her for a moment, a question in his eyes. He blinked and it was gone.

"Don't fall behind." he said. He turned away and followed Will into the longboat.

Ginny cast a short glance at the crew, feeling their eyes on her. She lifted her chin boldly and followed Jack into the longboat.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Chapter Five_**

Jack knew he only had seconds to save the other Miss Swann and get his ship back. He turned to Will. "Have I ever given you any reason _not_ to trust me?" Will didn't answer. "Do something for me and stay here. I know it's difficult for you, but try not to do anything incredibly stupid." Jack turned away and crept along the cave until he found a spot to watch the ritual. He heard footsteps and looked to see Will. He grimaced as Will swung the oar. It hit Jack in the head, and everything faded into darkness.

…..

"Will, what the hell?" Ginny hissed.

"Ginny, he's using us to get his ship back. He doesn't care about Elizabeth, or you or me. All he wants his damn ship! Now, let's go." Will argued. He began to trek away, navigating over dirt and glittering bits of gold. Ginny hesitated. Will realized Ginny wasn't following and looked back at her. "Ginny, come on." he urged.

"N-no. I-I'm staying here." Ginny stammered. _God, I hope I'm making the right decision_, she thought.

"Ginny, we don't have time for this, now come on!" Will hissed.

"This is wrong Will, and you know it." Ginny argued, growing satisfied with her decision.

"He's a pirate, Ginny." Will snapped.

"And you're a blacksmith, and I'm not really the governor's daughter!" Ginny retorted. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"He doesn't care about anyone but himself." Will said furiously.

"Even if that is true, this isn't right. I am staying." said Ginny firmly. Will sputtered in exasperation for a few moments. He gave Ginny one last glare and turned away. Ginny watched him go until he disappeared behind a cave wall and then went to Jack's side. She rolled him over off his back and shook him. "Wake up, you buffoon!"

….

Jack awoke to someone shaking him. He put a hand to his woozy head and waited for his vision to focus. "Oh, c'mon, Jack! Wake up, you blithering idiot!" Ginny's voice broke through the haze and Jack came to reality. He opened his eyes fully to see Ginny leaning over him.

"Ginny? What're you doing?" he asked groggily.

"Saving your life, you twit. Let's go." Ginny helped Jack to his feet. He still felt dizzy and disoriented, and he blundered rather than jogged through the cave. He staggered for a bit longer, and then his head finally began to clear a bit. Not much, but enough that he could keep up with Ginny's fast pace.

"I thought you'd be with dear William." said Jack bitterly.

"I couldn't just leave you behind." replied Ginny, her tone very matter-of-fact.

"Ginny, that was stupid!" Jack said, suddenly angry. Did she not understand the concept of "fall behind, left behind"? Jack could handle escaping on his own, but with Ginny, it would be more difficult.

"Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the paddle," Ginny muttered.

Jack clenched his teeth in aggravation. "I can't believe you stayed behind with me."

"Well, what was I supposed to do? Tag along with Will because he was being stupid and leave you to die? After all you've done for us? You saved my life, I saved yours, we're square. I'm a bit more honorable, thank you." Ginny snapped.

Jack was quiet. He wasn't used to people, especially women, looking out for his well-being. Usually people, like William, took initiative and used him until it was inconvenient to said users. They didn't befriend him, they mutinied against him. "Thank you," Jack heard himself mutter.

"You're welcome." Ginny's tone was short and crisp. They walked into the cavern. Jack swore and stopped in his tracks, Ginny stuttering to a stop behind him with a lighter swear. Jack glanced at her. He would be amused, were it not for the predicament they were in. They were trapped by Barbossa's motley crew of miscreants. _Used to be my motley crew of miscreants._ Jack huffed.

"You're supposed to be dead!" cried the fat crewman.

Jack looked himself up and down. "Am I not?" He turned to go out the back way, nudging Ginny to follow, but his path was blocked. He turned back to find the other men pointing pistols at him and Ginny.

"Par-la-la-ley-lo-lu," Jack said. Everyone looked at him, bemused. "Parsnips, parsley…"

"Parlay?" suggested one of the men. Jack remembered his name was Ragetti.

"Parlay! That's the one. Parlay." Jack announced cheerfully.

"Parlay?" hissed Ragetti's fat friend. _What's his name? Pistol? Penny? Piddle? Pintel! That's it! _"Damn to the depths whoever thought of the term parlay!" growled Pintel.

_How very delightful of you. _"That would be the French." Jack said, placing his hand on Pintel's pistol and lowering it slightly. Jack cringed when Barbossa showed himself.

"How the blazes did you get off that island?" he asked, looking both bored and astounded. If that were possible.

"When you marooned me on that godforsaken spit of land, you forgot one very important thing, mate," Jack said bitterly. Barbossa raised his eyebrows questioningly. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."

Barbossa rolled his eyes. "Ah. Well, I won't be makin' that mistake again. Gents, don't you all remember Cap'n Jack Sparrow?" Snickers rippled through the crowd as Barbossa smirked. "Kill them."

The pistols all cocked at once. Ginny tensed beside Jack, but otherwise she didn't react. Jack was impressed with her nonchalant air. "The girl's blood didn't work, did it?" Jack said quickly and boldly.

Barbossa stopped in his tracks. "Hold yer fire!" he said. He turned and looked at Jack with a smug smile. "You know whose blood we need." It wasn't a question. Jack grinned.

"I know whose blood ye need." he confirmed with a sly grin.

Barbossa's attention turned to Ginny. "What's yer name, missy?" he barked.

Jack glanced to see Ginny's reaction. She raised her chin fearlessly. "Ginny Swann." she said, her tone cold and icy.

Barbossa looked at Jack. "Another woman," he growled. "Just got rid of one, then comes another. Hopefully this one isn't so… Annoying."

Jack looked at Ginny. Her jaw was set, and fearlessness burned in her eyes like fire. "I wouldn't know." Jack said, still gazing at Ginny.

"To the ship!" Barbossa announced to his crew. "Miss Swann, if ye'd be so kind." Barbossa grabbed Ginny by the arm and hauled her away, Jack following along.

….

Barbossa looked bored of the banter with Jack. Ginny could cur with that. She was bored out of her mind of Jack and Barbossa's negotiating for the _Pearl_, among other things. She let out a sigh, which caught both men's attention.

"Jack, I didn't think you kept your doxies around long enough to journey with ye," Barbossa drawled. "Ye must like this one."

Jack's jaw set suddenly. But Ginny beat him to it. "I am not a doxy." she spat.

Barbossa chuckled. "I'll agree to yer terms Sparrow if I can have the girl."

"No," Jack said firmly. Ginny looked at him, half surprised, half grateful. "People aren't property, mate. You know I'll fight that one better than anybody." Understanding passed between them, but that didn't warm the icy glare Jack was giving Barbossa.

Barbossa didn't seem bothered. "What is yer fascination with this girl?" he asked, approaching Ginny, who stiffened.

"I have no fascination for her. She just has no part in this." Jack said coolly.

Ginny glanced at him, annoyed. Barbossa placed his hands on the back of Ginny's neck. She jerked away. "Hands off!" she snapped. Barbossa pulled away and cackled.

"Feisty one, she is." he said. He turned to a crewman. "Take 'em to the brig." Ginny was hauled to her feet along with Jack. They were led below deck. Jack was shoved into the cell first, and then Ginny received a prominent jostle inside. She fell into Jack, who caught her with a surprised grunt. They crashed against the far wall, alone in the damp cell together. There was a thick silence as Ginny gathered her wits.

"Love? You all right?" Jack asked after a moment. Ginny pulled back, straightening. Jack held onto her arms at the elbows and studied her face.

"I'm fine." Ginny answered.

Jack frowned but let go of her. She turned her back to him, not wanting him to see the fear in her eyes. No one was allowed to see her fear. One of the crewmen returned. "The captain wants a word with ye," he said. Ginny glanced at Jack, who stepped forward, looking confused. "Not you, the girl." barked the crewman.

"No." said Jack firmly.

"It's fine." Ginny replied. She exited the cell and calmly followed the man up to Barbossa's cabin. She swallowed the lump in her throat as the door closed behind her. She faced Barbossa, who smiled slyly at her.

"Hello, Miss Stormmare." he greeted her slimily.

Ginny blanched. "H-how do you know who I am?" she stammered. Barbossa poured a glass of red wine and offered it to Ginny. She accepted the glass with a shaking hand but didn't drink any.

"That pendant of yers is the mark of a Stormmare." Barbossa said, pouring himself a glass.

"How do you know the Stormmare family?" demanded Ginny.

Barbossa shrugged. "I knew Selene briefly."

"You knew my grandmother?" Ginny said incredulously.

"For a brief time, aye. She wore that pendant, and passed it on to her eldest child, Evelyn." Barbossa said, taking a sip of his wine. Ginny averted her eyes.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"I want to know how Sparrow knew ye. When he was captain of the _Pearl_, he had night terrors, ye see. Used to call out the name of Gin. I can only imagine that ye are that Gin." Barbossa said.

Ginny sniffed the wine. It didn't seem to be poisoned. Still, she didn't drink. "Why? Why does this information matter?"

"Let's just say it helps to know one's enemy." Barbossa replied with a grin.

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him. "And why should I divulge this information? What makes you think I will betray Jack?"

Barbossa cackled. He reached for her. Ginny stiffened as his fingers traced her pendant. She glared at him, not daring to show her fear. "If ye don't, I'll tell 'im who ye are."

Ginny laughed. "You're not very good at threats, Barbossa."

Barbossa glared at her. He struck her across the face. Ginny remained motionless for a heartbeat before looking Barbossa in the eyes again. She clenched her teeth, forcing herself not to spit in his face. "It's _Captain_ Barbossa to ye," he snarled. Ginny didn't reply as Barbossa regained his composure. "There's a reason he doesn't know ye. And there's a reason ye haven't told the lad. A reason that is valuable to ye."

Ginny lowered her eyes. "If I am to betray Jack, I want something in return." she said. She met Barbossa's gaze steadily.

Barbossa looked thoughtful. "What price be that?"

"Not a price," Ginny corrected. Barbossa looked curious. "If I am to give a secret, you must keep the secret."

Barbossa grinned, revealing his disgusting teeth. "And seal it with a kiss."

Ginny faltered. "Excuse me?"

"I'll keep yer bloody secret if we seal the deal with a kiss. And make sure Sparrow knows about it. I want ter cause him as much pain as possible." Barbossa said.

Ginny opened her mouth to refuse, then decided better of it. "Fine. We have and accord."

Barbossa grinned. "Now, give me yer secret."

Ginny turned away. "Jack was a part of my family long ago. Before he was a pirate, before any of his stories. He was… My best friend," Ginny turned back to Barbossa. "I don't know why he doesn't remember."

Barbossa looked disappointed. "Ye weren't lovers?"

Ginny glared at him. "Never."

Barbossa shrugged. He moved closer to Ginny, a malevolent gleam in his eyes. He pressed his lips against hers. Ginny reluctantly kissed back. When it was over, Ginny fought the urge to vomit. Barbossa grinned at her. "Yer secret is safe with me."


	6. Chapter 6

**_Author's Note: Sorry if I skip some stuff, most of it usually just happens the way it did in the films… With Ginny in the background of course. Please review! I love feedback, good and bad. As long as you have a logical and reasonable reason for disliking it and voicing your opinion, I welcome it. It will make me a better writer. However, if you write an ugly review just because, then obviously I will not appreciate it… Now I'm rambling. But, please guys, review! If you want to see something happen, or you have suggestions, let me know! Now, on to the story!_**

**_And thank you Guest for reviewing! I've been experiencing some major writer's block lately, and you have inspired me to continue! That was so sweet of you! And also, my laptop has been dead for the past week or so because my charger broke, and I just haven't had time to go buy a new one until now… But here you go!_**

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing but Ginny and the plot elements surrounding her. _**

**_Chapter Six_**

Ginny frowned at Jack. He was still watching the sea, as if expecting the _Pearl_ to return. He turned suddenly and noticed her watching him. "What?" he demanded. Ginny said nothing. She just continued to gaze at him.

"Ginny? Let's go for a walk." said Elizabeth.

Ginny tore her eyes away from Jack and fell in step with Elizabeth. "What is it?" Ginny asked her sister.

Elizabeth looked at Ginny, anger burning in her bright brown eyes. "Jack was going to use Will for a ship. A ship!" she cried.

Ginny met Elizabeth's furious glare steadily. "I'm not surprised." she said honestly. She was disappointed in Jack. She had hoped that the Jack she'd known was still there. But it seemed that the boy she'd grown up with was long gone.

"Then how are you associating with him?" Elizabeth accused.

Ginny stared at Elizabeth, her calmness dissipating into sharpness. "Elizabeth, Will is no perfect angel. He has proved to be just as deceptive as Jack Sparrow."

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth snapped, though her eyes betrayed her curiosity.

"When we were in that cave, Jack didn't merely fall behind. Will knocked him unconscious. I stayed behind willingly because it was the right thing to do. Jack is not perfect. But why should he help Will save you? Jack deserves to regain the _Pearl_. He's saved my life many times. He's saved Will's, and now he has saved yours." Ginny argued, glaring at her sister.

Elizabeth's eyes blazed furiously. "And you would let him do that to Will? Your friend? You would choose some pirate over Will?"

Ginny clenched her teeth and fists to keep from screaming at Elizabeth. _That pirate is my friend, too_, she thought. She turned away from Elizabeth. "You wouldn't understand," she muttered.

"Then help me to!" snarled Elizabeth.

Ginny looked at Elizabeth. "Jack would've had another plan. He wouldn't just let Will die for a ship. Jack may be a pirate, he may love his ship too much and he may be a bit selfish- okay, a lot selfish- but he has good in him, too. I've seen it."

Elizabeth paused. "What are you hiding?" she asked. Ginny kept walking.

"I don't know what you're talking about." she muttered.

"Ginny, did you and Jack know each other?" Elizabeth asked bluntly.

Ginny stopped. She clenched her fists angrily again. _The Jack I knew was different._ "The past doesn't matter." She continued walking briskly away. She stopped upon seeing footprints in the sand. Her eyes moved upward to see Jack sitting in the sand in the same spot where they'd left him.

"Not all that big, is it?" Jack said, blowing on his pistol.

"If you're going to shoot me, please do so with all haste." said Elizabeth.

Jack looked at Elizabeth, confused. "Is there a problem between us, Miss Swann?" he asked.

"You were going to trade Will's life for a ship." Elizabeth spat.

"We could use a ship," Jack pointed out, sarcasm coating his voice.

"Answer the question, Jack." snapped Ginny. She glared at Jack angrily. How could a boy with such strong morals turn into a man with no loyalty to his friends? Jack met Ginny's glare apprehensively, calculating.

"I wasn't going to tell Barbossa about bloody Will because as long as Barbossa didn't know about bloody Will, I still had something to bargain with to protect bloody Will, which bloody Will ruined! Savvy?" Jack roared.

"Oh." Ginny and Elizabeth said together.

"Oh." Jack repeated acidly. He took off into the jungle, Elizabeth following.

Ginny remained on the beach, lost in thought. So there was a bit of the old Jack still in this new Jack. Or was he still the same? Did he really not remember? Or was he intentionally pretending to not know Ginny because he just didn't care? Ginny sighed, determined to get some answers. She stalked into the miniscule jungle and found Jack handing Elizabeth a bottle of rum. "Is there no truth to any of the stories, then?" Ginny demanded. _Please, give me something from your past… Who are you? Who did you become, and why? What parts of you did you leave behind?_

Jack glowered at Ginny. He pushed past her roughly. Elizabeth looked up from the bottle of rum and stared at Ginny thoughtfully. Ginny followed Jack. He stopped by the water's edge and plunked his bottle and another bottle of rum into the hot white sand. He turned to face Ginny. He rolled up his sleeve to reveal a nasty scar on his arm, contorting and twisting in spirals and zigzags that committed suicide on the edges of his arm. He pulled back his collar to reveal two perfectly circular burn scars. "Truth? No truth at all," he said. Ginny watched him sit down and open one of the bottles. "Why so doubtful all of a sudden, love?" Jack asked.

"You have a funny way of showing your friendship." Ginny said, her tone bitter.

Jack looked at her, his dark eyes searching her face. "Because in my experience, friends only mutiny. Bloody Will has proven that to be true twice now."

"But an innocent man for a ship… Someone's life is not worth a ship!" Ginny argued.

Jack sighed and got to his feet. "That pendant of yours. If you lost it, is there nothing you wouldn't do to get it back?"

"I wouldn't put a man's life on the line for it." Ginny seethed.

"What's your problem? I saved your life more than once, and this is how you repay me?" Jack spat back.

"You don't need to save my life, I can take care of myself!" Ginny replied angrily.

"Obviously," Jack scoffed.

"Look, before you or anyone else, I was on my own. I took care of myself then, I can do it now." Ginny raged.

"Well, at least you remember!" Jack bellowed. Ginny got quiet, too stunned to speak. Ginny watched Jack's face drain of any color. "Yep, Jack Sparrow doesn't remember anything from his childhood, from birth to sixteen years. Bloody fantastic." Jack said bitterly.

Ginny softened. "Nothing?"

"Nothing," Jack replied, his voice matching her gentle tone. He looked defeated and frustrated.

Ginny opened her mouth to tell him, to tell him everything. She wanted to tell him about the time she taught him how to ride a horse, or the time he taught her how to use a slingshot, or how she used to play piano for him, or how she helped nurse his dying mother back to health, or how she discovered him hiding in her barn. She wanted to say something, anything that might help him remember. But she couldn't. "I'm sorry" was all she could manage.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Chapter Six was short, I know. I'm reaching the end of COTBP. There's probably only going to be three or four chapters left… I am going to write sequels no matter what. I'm going to try to write DMC and AWE back to back like the movies. That way, I can get them posted faster. Like I've said before, this is NOT a wild whirlwind romance with fireworks and heavy scenes. The relationship between Jack and Ginny is closer than that. They're more like a friends-for-life, 50-year marriage kind of love. Which, in my opinion, is more romantic than anything. So their story is slow. If you don't like, go write your own story with your own OC character. I'm trying to update at least once a month, maybe sooner. I will try to do once a week. No promises. Guys, please review! REVIEW. Review. review. Just a tiny little comment of "That's good" or "Maybe you should do this…" I get writer's block, and when I do, seeing a review encourages me to keep going! Well, back to the story. **

**_Chapter Seven_**

Jack wrinkled his nose at Norrington. What a buffoon. _Look at him strutting his stuff for Ginny. He thinks he's so attractive. Wrong. _"Then do it for me! As a wedding gift." Ginny said, snapping Jack out of his head. _Wedding gift? Ginny? Ginny just accepted? Bloody hell the world's gone to pot! _

"Ginny, are you accepting the Commodore's proposal?" asked Governor Swann. _Your powers of perception are frightening, _Jack thought.

"I am." Ginny said. Jack stared at her, dumbfounded. _Oh for bloody hell's sake! What're ye thinking, you dim witted dingbat? Marriage? To him, no less? Good God, you've gone mad, love. _

"A wedding? I love weddings! Drinks all around!" Jack said this instead of his string of curses. Jack looked at Norrington. "I know, clap him in irons, eh?" Jack said, mockingly putting his wrists together in surrender. Norrington coolly walked down the steps.

"Mr. Sparrow," _Captain, you bloody schmuck-face. _"You will accompany these fine men to the helm and provide us with the bearing to Isla de Muerte. You will then spend the rest of this voyage contemplating all possible meanings of the phrase 'silent as the grave'. Do I make myself clear?" Norrington stared at Jack, challenging him to object.

"Inescapably." Jack said with a grin. _You knickers-wearing pansy of a man. _

…..

Jack approached Ginny, who was staring at the sea, the light of the moon turning her golden hair silver. "You didn't tell them about the curse." Ginny said. She didn't even look at Jack.

"I noticed neither did you," Jack said "Same reasons, I imagine." He couldn't bring himself to look at her fully. After their spat on the island… Jack was unsure of Ginny. She was hiding something. He could tell.

"I want Barbossa to get what he deserves, and only you can deliver that." There was a note of bitterness to her voice that surprised Jack.

He glanced at her. "What did he want from you?" He met Ginny's burning gaze.

Her eyes were pale like the moon, a silver sea in twilight. "I can't say."

"Why not?" Jack pressed, disappointed as Ginny turned away.

"Because that's what he wants. He said it would… I don't know, distract you or something. But he wanted me to do it, so I'm not going to." Ginny replied, her voice cold.

Jack sensed the subject needed to be dropped. He appreciated Ginny for defying Barbossa. Whatever Barbossa had done… _The bastard probably wanted to catch me off guard. And Ginny is… Is what? Protecting me? Why would she do that? Well, I did save her life._ "Why'd you do that, love? Accept Norrington's proposal?" Jack asked suddenly.

Ginny looked at Jack head on. Her eyes no longer reflected the moon's glow. Now her eyes were navy, a sea in the pitch of night. "Will is my friend." she justified.

Jack raised his eyebrows. "So you'll get married for him?"

Ginny raised her chin. "Will has been one of my best friends since I came to Port Royal. I know he can be stupid, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make, and you should just respect that."

She turned back to the sea. "Don't misunderstand me, love. I admire a person who's willing to whatever it takes to get what they want." Jack clarified with a small smile. Ginny looked at him over her shoulder.

Jack watched her lips twitch into a tiny half-smile. "Why do you care?" she asked softly.

Jack blinked, befuddled. "Care about what?"

"Me. And don't deny it; you wouldn't have done half the things you've done for me if it weren't true." Ginny's voice was soft, but demanding.

Jack closed his eyes and sighed. Then he looked at Ginny with a mischievous grin and stepped closer to her. He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "You and me, love, we're peas in a pod." He pulled back. Ginny was staring at him with shining eyes. She opened her mouth as if she were about to say something, but something behind Jack stopped her and she looked away quickly. Jack looked over his shoulder to see Norrington.

"It's time." Norrington announced. He walked over to Ginny and kissed her on the cheek. Norrington pointedly walked ahead of Jack. Jack clenched his teeth. He relaxed and looked at Ginny. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. He closed his mouth and gave her a wink.

"Be careful." Ginny called. Jack and Norrington both swung around.

"Thank you." Norrington said formally.

Jack watched Commodore Pansy walk away. He turned back to Ginny and grinned. "Love, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." he said with another wink. With that, he left Ginny, perhaps for forever.

…

It only took a few seconds of Jack pushing through Barbossa's hellish crew for Will to notice him. "Jack!" said Will.

"S'not possible…" Barbossa said, shocked.

"Not probable," Jack corrected him.

"Where's Elizabeth?" Will demanded.

"She's safe, just like I promised. Ginny's all set to marry Norrington, just like _she_ promised, and you get to die for Elizabeth, just like _you_ promised. So we're all men of our word, really. Except for Ginny, who is, in fact, a woman." Jack assured Will.

"Shut up!" barked Barbossa with the malice of a spider. _Spider… His beard is scraggly like a spider. But he has the character of a snake. _"You're next." Barbossa leaned over to slit Will's throat.

"You don't want to be doing that, mate." Jack said. He said it quickly enough to stop Barbossa from killing William, but calmly enough to seem nonchalant.

Barbossa made a face at Jack. "Oh, I really think I do." he said, his voice like stones scraping each other.

"Your funeral," Jack said with a shrug. He watched Barbossa closely. Barbossa was hooked.

"Why don't I want to be doing this?" Barbossa gave in, his curiosity too great to be ignored.

"Because," Jack said, eager that his plan was going so well. A heavy hand stopped him from moving forward. Jack slapped it away. _Don't touch me, you blundering beef-witted baboon. _"Because the _HMS_ _Dauntless_, pride of the Royal Navy, is floating just offshore, waiting for you."

A murmur spread among Barbossa's men, many casting each other worrisome glances. Barbossa acted like he was about to speak, but Jack cut him off. "Just hear me out, mate." Jack glanced at Will, praying the whelp would get it.

…

Ginny glanced at Elizabeth and went to the door. She knocked. "I have to use the loo." Ginny announced. The guard outside sighed.

"It'll have to wait." he grumbled.

"Till when? Until we return to Port Royal?" Ginny whined. She tugged on the handle, emphasizing her impatience.

"Until the battle's over, that's when!" snapped the guard.

"Look, you git, I need to tinkle so let me out!" Ginny snapped. The guard mumbled under his breath about Ginny being unladylike, but nevertheless opened the door. He led her below deck where the chamber pot was. Ginny went over to it gingerly. She looked to see the guard watching her. "I can't do it with you watching me!" she hissed. The guard rolled his eyes and turned his back to her. Ginny seized her opportunity and grabbed the chamber pot. She whacked the guard in the head with it, knocking him unconscious. Ginny dropped the pot. She was glad it was empty, but it was still disgusting. She slipped up the stairs and onto the main deck.

"Miss Swann!" Gillette was approaching her.

"Bugger." Ginny muttered. She took one look at him and ran to the side of the ship. Without thinking or hesitating, she jumped into the sea below.

….

"I must admit, Jack, I thought I had you figured. Turns out yer a hard man to predict."

"Me? I'm dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly, it's the honest ones you want to watch out for… Because you'll never know when they're going to do something incredibly… stupid." Jack said. He met Will's gaze. Jack kicked one of Barbossa's crewmen, grabbed his sword and threw it to Will.

Jack turned; his sword unsheathed, and faced Barbossa. Their swords clanged together with a resounding clash. The metal-against-metal sound ground on Jack's ears like a dying creature's wail. He gritted his teeth together. He blocked Barbossa's vicious attacks and delivered a few of his own. Jack managed to slice a bit of the ridiculous feather off Barbossa's hat. Barbossa, enraged, shoved Jack against the cave wall. "Yer off the edges of the map here, mate. Here there be monsters!" Barbossa cackled. With that, he shoved Jack back again. Jack stumbled, trying not to fall. While Jack was fumbling, Barbossa kicked him. Pain seared up through Jack's ribs, and again in his back when he slammed against rock. "Ye can't beat me, Jack." Barbossa panted, sheathing his sword. Jack defiantly stabbed Barbossa in the gut. Barbossa sighed and rolled his eyes. In one smooth movement, he retrieved Jack's sword from himself and then plunged the sword into Jack's abdomen. It wasn't agonizing pain like Jack had experienced before. But it was painful in the sense that it was highly uncomfortable. Jack gagged, feeling as if he'd been punched in the stomach.

"Jack, no!" screamed a familiar voice. Jack stumbled back into a stretch of moonlight. He looked at his hand, now skeletal. He flipped the gold coin he'd stolen earlier between his fingers.

"That's interesting," Jack murmured to himself. He noticed Barbossa's look of fury and disbelief. "Couldn't resist mate."

Barbossa huffed and lunged with a much fiercer attack than before. Jack fought just as hard, and the duel grew more ruthless. After several minutes of cruel battling, Barbossa leaned up against a rock, panting. "What now, Jack Sparrow? Are we to be two immortals locked in an epic battle till Judgment Day and trumpets sound?" he drawled.

"Or you could just surrender," Jack suggested. Barbossa responded with a slash at Jack's intestines, but Jack leaped back before the blade could even scratch him. They continued to lock blades, the clink of the swords clacking against each other ringing in Jack's ears. An explosion nearby distracted Barbossa just long enough for Jack to cut his palm with his own blade, the cursed gold clenched in that same palm. The coin soaked in Jack's blood for a moment before he knocked Barbossa's sword to the ground and tossed the glittering Aztec gold to Will. Jack turned to face Barbossa triumphantly, but frowned in concern when he saw the scraggly-bearded man aiming his pistol at Ginny and Elizabeth. Thinking fast, Jack whipped out his own pistol and pulled the trigger.

"Ten years you carry that pistol, and now you've wasted yer shot." Barbossa said with a smug grin. Jack slowly lowered his pistol.

"He didn't waste it." Will's voice rang loud and clear in the cave. Jack didn't need to look. He knew that Will had done the deed. Jack just watched Barbossa, waiting for the man to die. Barbossa peeled back his coat and shirt to reveal scarlet blood soaking through the fabric.

"I feel…" Barbossa trailed off as he searched for the right word. "…cold." He fell back, his eyes rolling back into his head. There was the sound of his body clashing against gold pieces. And he was dead. It was over.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Last chapter! Thanks to all who have read and reviewed and followed and favorited! I will start DMC as soon as I finish this, which will either be tonight or tomorrow. Enjoy!**

**_Chapter Eight_**

Jail sucked. Being locked up alone, that wasn't too bad. No, the worst part was that after everything he'd done, Jack was going to hang. Jack gazed at the moon from his barred window, his back to the cell door. It was a beautiful night. _My last night_, Jack thought grimly. Last… Such a condemning word. The sound of footsteps behind Jack announced the arrival of a person. Jack could only guess who that person could be. "What do you want?" he grumbled.

"To talk to you." Jack spun around to see Ginny.

"I thought you were Norrington." Jack said, astonished.

"I'm not," Ginny reassured him weakly. She clutched her robe with a sad smile.

"I'd rather see you than him," Jack said with a grin. "But why the middle of the night?" he added.

Ginny looked away. "James didn't want me to come."

"Ah," Jack said. "You're still marrying him, then?"

Ginny frowned. "Yes." She didn't sound too pleased.

"Why? Will's safe." Jack retorted.

"I keep my word, Jack. And… At least I know this marriage won't disappoint me. The men I've loved have either been taken from me or left me. James won't do that. And I hardly know him, so I haven't really gotten to the point that I care." Ginny replied.

Jack stared at her. "You've been married before?"

Ginny shook her head. "I was engaged once."

"What happened?" Jack asked softly.

Ginny's eyes flashed with pain. "I don't want to talk about it, Jack."

Jack nodded. "Now that he's dead, will you tell me what Barbossa did to you?"

Ginny looked as if she were going to argue. Then, she rolled her eyes. "He kissed me."

Jack was really glad Barbossa was dead, because he wanted to kill the bastard all over again. "He… What?"

"He kissed me." Ginny repeated. She laughed shortly. "I don't know why, but he really thought it would bother you."

Jack clenched his teeth. "He's a vile man. You deserve to kiss much better men." He raised his chin and gave Ginny a forced smile.

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Like you?"

Jack frowned. "Well, I am a much better man than he is…" He trailed off suggestively.

Ginny gave a breathy laugh. "You are," she allowed. They stared at each other for a moment, the silence getting awkward. "I suppose he thought it would make you jealous." Ginny shrugged. _It does… Sort of. Why am I jealous? Maybe I'm just pissed that Barbossa got to kiss this beautiful woman and I didn't. Yeah, that's it. _

"I'm sorry he did that, love." Jack said, gritting his teeth.

"Me too," Ginny replied softly. They were quiet again.

"You should probably get going," Jack said, unwilling to let her leave him alone again.

"Probably," Ginny agreed. She reached through the bars and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"You really do deserve to kiss a better man, love." Jack said with a wink.

Ginny smiled, her eyes filling with tears. It was the first time Jack had seen her close to crying. He wanted to hug her, comfort her. Ginny let go of Jack's hand, and instantly cold washed over him. She turned to leave and headed for the stairs. Jack watched her. Ginny turned. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop this, Jack." she said.

Jack pressed his lips together in a grim smile. "Me too, love."

….

The drums strummed their tune of death slowly. Jack stood with his hands bound in front of him, looking lost in thought. Only the slightest hint of seriousness betrayed his solemn attitude. Ginny shook her head, furious. "This is wrong." she breathed.

"Commodore Norrington is bound by the law," said Governor Swann uncomfortably. "As are we all." he added.

Ginny felt Elizabeth take her hand. Movement in the crowd caught Ginny's eye. She squinted, confused. It was Will. He wore a feathered hat and crimson cape. Ginny had never seen him dressed so dapper. She watched Will address James and Weatherby. He turned to her with a grin. "Ginny," he said with a respectful dip of his head. Ginny grinned back, but Will had already turned his focus on Elizabeth. "Elizabeth, I should have told you every day from the moment I met you… I love you."

Ginny didn't need to look at Elizabeth to see her look of shock. Ginny only smirked at Will smugly. Will rolled his eyes at Ginny and walked away. Ginny watched Will push through the crowd. The drumroll picked up, signaling the wait was over: Jack's death was now. The executioner looped the noose around Jack's neck. Will had unsheathed his sword, bellowing for civilians to get out of the way. James moved forward to stop Will. "I can't breathe!" gasped Elizabeth. She fell backward suddenly, startling James and Weatherby. They went over to Elizabeth's side to fan her. Ginny watched, too stunned to move. The drumroll stopped, the executioner pulled the lever, and down Jack went. But he wasn't dead.

Ginny grinned. "Brilliant, Will!" she whispered. She rushed forward, gathering up her long skirts to free her legs. She ran up the gallows steps. While the executioner and Will were occupied in a duel, Ginny withdrew a dagger from her sleeve and cut Jack down. She rushed underneath the gallows to find Jack getting to his feet, his hands freed and the sword that had held him up wobbling. He looked at her, bewildered.

"Ginny… What?" he said.

"There's no time, just go!" Ginny urged. Jack nodded and took off. Ginny took a moment before following the fight. By the time she reached Jack and Will, they'd been surrounded and were being lectured by Norrington. Ginny pushed through the horde of commoners and guards. She was to the edges of the guards training their weapons on Jack and Will.

"On our return to Port Royal, I granted you clemency. And this is how you repay me? By throwing your lot in with him? He's a pirate!" Governor Swann was saying.

"And a good man!" Will protested firmly. "If all I have achieved here is that the hangman will earn two pairs of boots, at least my conscience will be clear."

"You forget your place, Turner." warned James.

"It's right here," Will said softly. "Between you and Jack."

"As is mine," Ginny said, pushing through the ring of guards to take Jack's side.

"And mine." piped up Elizabeth. She stood by Will. James was staring at Ginny incredulously. She pressed her lips together grimly.

"Ginny… I can't protect you from the consequences." James whispered.

"I'm not asking you to, James," Ginny replied gently. "I owe Jack my life. If I must join Will and Jack at the gallows, so be it. Whoever has committed no sin may throw the first stone, right?"

James said nothing, looking defeated. "Lower your weapons," said Governor Swann. Nobody moved. "For goodness sake, put them down!" The guards lowered their weapons. Ginny took Jack's hand. He looked at her but squeezed her hand.

"Well I'm actually feeling rather about all this," Jack said, looking around smugly. "I think we've all arrived at a very special place, eh?" He gave Ginny's hand another squeeze before letting go. He walked right up to Governor Swann, who looked disgusted to be standing so close to a pirate. "Spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically…" Jack glared at Norrington. "I won't ever root for you. Know that," Jack said. Norrington rolled his eyes. Jack approached Elizabeth. "Elizabeth," he said. She turned. "It would've never worked out between us. I'm sorry," Jack moved on to Ginny. He leaned in to her ear. "Come with me. Be on the sea." He pulled back.

Ginny met his gaze. She could see it: She by Jack's side, free at last. Maybe one day she'd tell him the truth. Maybe one day he would remember… Ginny shook her head. "I can't, Jack. I… I belong here."

A mixture of emotions contorted Jack's face: hurt, disappointment and understanding. He offered her a tiny smile, the slightest twitch of his lips. He moved away, nearing the edge of the fort. "Will?" Everyone looked at Jack. "Nice hat," Jack said, backing towards the end of the fort. "You will all remember this as the day that you almost caught Captain Ja-!" His legs buckled as he hit the fort's edge, and he tumbled over backwards. Ginny, Elizabeth and Will rushed over to see if Jack made it.

"Fool," said Gillette. "He's got nowhere left to go but back to the noose!" Ginny grinned as the _Black Pearl_ rounded around a cliff and came into view. "Commodore? Orders?"

James said nothing. "Perhaps, on the rare occasion… Pursuing the right course demands an act of piracy, piracy itself can be the right course." said Governor Swann.

Ginny wanted to hug her adopted father. Instead, she beamed at him. He turned away. Ginny leaned against the wall of the tiny bell tower, where many a wedding had been hosted. She watched the sun slowly lower, outlining the _Pearl_. She watched as Jack's bobbing head neared the ship as he swam. Ginny ignored James' lecture to Will. She only looked when she heard footsteps behind her. She looked to see James. "You always were more than anything I'd expected, Ginny." James said.

Ginny frowned. "Pardon?"

James smiled painfully. "You always did refuse to become a simple housewife. You were just more… You're worth more than any woman here. You're different. I think that's why I wanted you as my wife more than anything. You have a good head on your shoulders."

Ginny dipped her head in gratitude. "Thank you, James."

James took a deep breath. "And that is why I withdraw my proposal."

Ginny parted her lips in shock. "James, I-I…" She was at a loss for words.

James smiled grimly. "You don't need to say anything."

Ginny lowered her head. "Thank you," she said.

James nodded. He turned to leave. Ginny looked at her hands, stunned. "Oh, Ginny?" called James. Ginny looked up sharply. "He doesn't deserve you." James walked away without another word. Ginny crossed her arms and looked back at the _Black Pearl_. Its silhouette was fading away, leaving Port Royal behind forever.

"I should've gone with him." Ginny whispered.

"What's that?" said Elizabeth, joining Ginny. Will stood beside Elizabeth, the trio all watching Jack and his ship fade away.

"I should have gone with Jack." Ginny repeated.

"Ginny… If it's meant to be, you'll have another chance." said Elizabeth. _There's no such thing as fate, Lizzie_, Ginny thought.

"I think that was my other chance." Ginny replied. Elizabeth took Ginny's hand comfortingly. Ginny watched Jack slip out of her life for the second time. But this time, there were no promises to be broken.


End file.
